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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

[b]You have kids with 3 IBHL classes, maybe, on their HS transcript for college credit, and kids with 6-10 AP classes for college credit. You tell me which one is a better option for kids attending college? [/b]AP students learn how to write, they take English classes before the AP classes, just like the IB kids, and learn how to write and think about text. They do perfectly well in college. And they can either save money by needing one year less of college or open up space for a second major or more electives that they enjoy or for studying overseas and not worrying about jamming in required classes.

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To be clear, I think you're not considering that IB HL courses consist of a pair of courses that are equivalent to two AP courses as a series in most cases. For example passing the IB English HL exam gives equivalent credit as passing both the AP Language and AP Lit exams. IB Math Analysis HL is equivalent to AP Precalculus AB and AP Calculus AB combined. IB History HL as APUSH and AP World, etc.
 Still your point is stands, but it's not 3 IB college courses versus 6-10 AP college courses (actually IB allows a max of four HL).[/quote]

I have had friends whose kids did the IB Diploma and none of them have gotten double class credits for the IB exams, it is one of their complaints. They said that their kids had to print off course syllabi for their classes and go through a process in order to get credits and that the credits were for one class. These are kids at Virginia state schools and in the last 3 years. It could be that my friends' kids had a weird experience but the anecdotal data I have is that IB does not translate easily and kids don't get the same benefit as AP classes. The biggest complaint I hear when the kids are at college is that the classes don't translate for college credit.

We are zoned for an IB school, I have been talking to friends with kids at the HS. The universal feedback is that the IB English and History classes are really good. The IB Math and Science classes are lacking. If you have a child at all interested in STEM, pupil place to an AP school because the IB HL science and math classes are rarely offered due to not enough students being interested in them. The kids are taking their HL classes, the few that are trying for the diploma, in English, History, and Government. They take SL for Science and Math. Most of the kids at the school who are not going for the diploma are taking SL classes.

The program is mostly at schools where there are far fewer families planning on college and the parents don't care about IB or AP. The parents who are involved have their kids in the diploma track and see the program as a way to stand out. The parents of kids who will go to college but are not aiming for a top 50, never mind higher, don't really care one way or the other.

I would guess that more kids pupil place for AP then complete the IB diploma in any given year, which is ridiculous. Lewis had 4 kids complete the IB diploma last year. Four kids. There is no way you can justify the program benefiting the kids at Lewis. SLHS had 50, which is better but right about 10% of the class. How is that benefiting the students? [/quote]

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